Primal Sympathy
by HazySunray
Summary: Gabriel watches Castiel carry the soul of Dean Winchester to Heaven and wonders where the plan had gone wrong. A story about the two remaining Winchesters. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: Supernatural is not mine**

Gabriel watches the small infant make happy, gurgley noises at his mother, squealing loudly when she tickles his feet. The soft toy that was previously clutched in a tight fist makes a jingling sound when it collides with the floor before being scooped up by the babe's four-year-old brother. The youngest holds no interest in the toy, however, and when it's offered, he instead grabs a handful of his brother's hair and yanks. The archangel is impressed by the fact that the toddler sheds no tears after letting out a loud yelp, instead plucking the babe's hands loose as gently as he can, saying, "No, Sammy, not allowed." Said Sammy replies in a series of coos and manages to make both mother and brother smile.

Gabriel watches the almighty John Winchester try in vain to make his youngest stop crying. He smirks, wondering what could be so special about this family that they should be chosen to fulfill the prophecy. Gabriel laughs when John starts imitating his son's cries, having obviously lost his patience. The laughter ceases instantly though when the young father loses his temper and starts shouting at the babe, visibly intent on shaking Samuel. "Daddy," a young voice cuts in, "I can take him." When the older Winchester doesn't reply or make a move to comply, Dean goes on, "Give him to me. Please." The last part was obviously added as an afterthought, but it does the trick and the child gently takes his sibling from his father, protecting the small body in the cradle of his arms. The baby stops crying once his brother starts humming and shushing him, walking slowly around the room. Dean doesn't notice their father exiting the room. Dean notices the way Sammy's hand wraps around two of his fingers, pulling them against hot, chubby cheeks and toward a hungry mouth. He decides it's time to get his little brother fed.

Gabriel watches two green-eyed boys' worlds revolve around one another, watches them converse without words, see through each other's lies, protect one another and care for the other. Gabriel watches marshmallow charms get traded for plain ones, drawings get gifted for praise, training get treated with awe and respect, and fear always fought with a comforting embrace. Gabriel watches John's role as father diminish to existing merely as a title. Dean is brother and father to Sam, and Sam is in some ways not only brother to Dean, but mother as well.

Gabriel watches Castiel carry the soul of Dean Winchester to Heaven, and wonders where the plan had gone wrong. What failure had led to the demise of Michael's vessel? And who would be next to play meat-suit to his Archangel brother?

Gabriel watches John make deals that don't exist, exchanging years of his life for reminders of his son instead of the soul that had been carried out of the eighteen-year-old body currently laying on a motel bed. Gabriel watches dark green eyes spill tears incessantly, flowing into a gaping mouth which emits a continuous howl of devastation. Gabriel watches the fourteen-year-old cry himself to sleep on top of the cold body of his brother, clinging to a bloodied T-shirt with all his might. The Trickster takes in the sight of a nightmare-tormented child not put to rest by a soothing hand on his back, pulling him closer to the comforting source of heat of his older brother. Instead, the young teen wakes up screaming, takes one look at the slowly-decaying body of his sibling and vomits all over himself. Gabriel cannot watch any more.

Sam is fifteen when Gabriel comes to check up on him again. The boy has become bug-eyed and bony. Though he has grown, he slouches constantly and makes himself as small of a presence in a room as possible. Samuel is a serious child, which serves to separate him even more from his classmates of the month. The boy is quiet and sullen, hunching over his desk and ignoring jibes and insults directed at him. Gabriel watches the youngest Winchester become targeted by a group of bullies and waits for the boy to let his hunting instincts take over, knowing with certainty that John Winchester would have trained him well enough to do so. However, it seems that Sam has lost his sense of self-preservation, choosing to let the group direct untrained punches and kicks at his vulnerable body, taking everything the bullies dish out. He lays on the ground for a long while after the other kids have left, gazing up at the sky.

Gabriel watches Sam's sixteenth birthday take place at Singer's Salvage Yard, though it is yet unclear whether or not John Winchester forgot his son's birthday. The air feels toxic as Bobby Singer leads the teenager out back, telling him Dean would have wanted to give him this particular gift himself, but he's more than happy to do the honors. Sam does not choose a car that looks remotely like his brother's precious Baby. He chooses instead something casual that blends in. Something that will do what a car is supposed to do; nothing more and nothing less. Gabriel watches the two men head back inside for a celebratory slice of cake, of which Sam manages to hold down none. After brushing out the taste of vomit, the teen makes his way to the room he and Dean used to share whenever they stayed at Bobby's. Out of habit, he blows up the air mattress and places it on the floor next to the bed. The angel of mischief does not make the mattress implode when the boy curls up on it, wrapping the blankets tightly around his form, crying into his pillow. Once again Gabriel finds himself asking his Father why the two Winchesters had to be separated. Sam's sixteenth birthday shouldn't have gone down this way. Dean was supposed to be here, a perfect combination of too-wise-for-his-years and easy-going-rebellious-rascal and big brother who hands out noogies and pats on the back and rides to school. Dean was supposed to be here to tease his brother and call him 'bitch'. Sam was supposed to call Dean a jerk and jump on his back when he wasn't looking, trying for payback and most likely failing. Not crying himself hoarse, pawing at his chest like every beat of his heart was causing him unbearable agony.

Gabriel watches John attempt to be a parent again when he receives a phone call from Sam's school telling him his son never hands in his homework. He watches the senior Winchester go from speaking to his son like a drill sergeant to sounding more like a concerned father. Neither approach works. Sam has gone silent.

Gabriel watches Sam turn the age his brother was when he'd died and keeps a watchful eye on the kid. His concern turns out to be justified when he watches the boy eat the barrel of the pistol carrying his name. He doesn't know why he's done it until he sees the young human look at him in complete awe after having snapped the firearm from existence. He doesn't give him long to gaze at his angelic presence, however, as he draws his hand quickly into a fist and punches him hard in the mouth. "Never again," he orders before flying off.

Sam meets Jess on a random day in July. The girl is staying at a friend's house for the week before heading over to her parents'. They talk about everything and nothing. They warm to each other. They feel the potential their union could have. They part ways.

Gabriel sees the way other hunters walk on eggshells around Sam. They have long since learned what a threat the young man faces to the supernatural beings, which makes his presence around humans equally threatening. The only person who sees Sam as the little boy with a floppy mop of curly hair and eyes filled with questions is Bobby Singer. The ever-ball-cap-wearing hunter seems to also be the only one who notices what the loss of his brother has done to the young man. Well, aside from Gabriel himself. Bobby makes the boy a bed in his house at the Salvage Yard, makes him comfortable, makes him chili. Bobby tries to make everything as warm and welcoming as possible for Sam. But he can't make him a home.

At the ripe age of twenty, Sam Winchester shuts down. Gabriel watches the young man lose his appetite, his ability to sleep, his sense of time and his sense of self-preservation until he's lost himself altogether. After two weeks of watching the human self-destruct, Gabriel goes down to Earth to confront the boy. His plan was to tell him off, to show him that the pity-party he's been throwing for himself for years has got to come to an end. Instead, he winds up pressing his fingers against Sam's forehead, bringing him the rest his body has been seeking for years. Before the boy goes under, he grabs a hold of Gabriel's wrist, begging with his eyes to reunite him with his brother. For the first time in a long time, Gabriel rebels.

Gabriel watches the dark soul wander its way across the planes of Heaven, seemingly with no direction. The archangel, however, is well aware of the other soul hurrying toward it. As Castiel joins him to watch the reunion of the brothers, he feels no condemnation from the angel. Instead, Castiel appears to be happy with the turn of events, pleased to find two kindred souls connect in a way only few can. Gabriel watches Sam's presence brighten, becoming lighter, the moment Dean's arms find their way around his little brother. Gabriel decides human beings might be worth saving, after all.

—

Quote:

"What though the radiance which was once so bright  
Be now for ever taken from my sight,  
Though nothing can bring back the hour  
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;  
We will grieve not, rather find  
Strength in what remains behind;  
In the primal sympathy  
Which having been must ever be;  
In the soothing thoughts that spring  
Out of human suffering;  
In the faith that looks through death,  
In years that bring the philosophic mind."

\- William Wordsworth


End file.
